This is an English translation of 'Malaisie' a novel by Henri Fauconnier, published in French in 1930. The work won the prestigious 'Prix Goncourt' in that year. It is awonderful evocation of the life of the rubber planters in between the two world wars in what was then colonial Malaya. The author evokes the Malay and the Tamil cultures that characterize aspects of rural life in Malaya, but it's much more than just a poetic evocation; the characters are sharply and colourfully drawn, and the plot keeps the reader engaged right to the end. It could be added to a list of "lost" 20th century classics, but it's also an aching picture of a world now largely lost. Warmly recommended. The original French does not seem to be online anywhere, not even in Gallica BnF (probably due to copyright). Second-hand copies are still available in France, I found one in the 'book-village' of Montolieux in the South of France for just 10 Euro, nicely bound and with a dozen or so lovely woodcuts.